]68 ON REARING SILK WORMS. 



difficult to take, at the proper time, the black silk worms, 

 because the transparency that announces their maturity, can- 

 not be perceived. 



' ?J f .',;jij 



OBSERVATION BY THE TRANSLATOR. 



From another Chinese author we read : 

 When the silk worms have finished all their moultings, 

 and begin to assume a bluish color, it is a sign that they 



are mature enough to spin their cocoons. 



i 



. . . , 



FORMATION OF THE COCOONS. 



COCOON ROOMS CALLED CHAN-PO, USED IN THE DISTRICTS OF 

 KIA AND HOU. 



OBSERVATION OF THE TRANSLATOR. 



t i .-.. -~,:ji 



.6)16 v I oi j(fjj>no4[i"ii: . V'kVi" fei t 



The Chinese expression, chan-po, signifies a frame co- 

 vered with small protuberances (literally, hillocks). This 

 last word denotes uncovered cones, where the silk worms 

 ought to ascend. See PLATE No. 7. 



The most perfect cocoon rooms are those that are call- 

 ed eh&tn-poi and which are used in the districts of Kia and 

 Hou. 



In other countries the silk is not dried by fire (at the 

 moment it is spun). The silk worms are allowed to spin 

 between rice stalks, or in the middle of a box. The fire 

 does not penetrate the thread of the silk worm, and the air 

 does not cool it. For that reason, the taffetas, that are 

 manufactured in the districts of Tckang-tan and Ju-cho 



